Coal-cutting machine.



G. RHVIMER. COAL CUTTING MACHINE APPLICATlON FILED APR.I6,1917- E -4 45;, Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

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smear arm, or wrenn; ENGLAND, Asszen'oa no SULLIVAN MAC: comrm, or CLABIEMONT, NEW n a n COAL-CUTTING use 2 Speotficatloaof Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 191?.

Application filed April is, 1917. serial no. waste.

which the following is a speci cation.

A coal-cuttin machine of well-known type is provide with a haulage-chain, the latter being anchored at one end so that the 1 machine can pull upon the anchored chain by means of a rotatable sprocket-wheel. The haulage-chain is used, in the case of a machine of the type hereinafter illustrated,

(1) to sine the jib, when cutting in;

(2) for flitting, turning the machine, etc.; and

(3) for propelling the machine along the face of the coal when cutting.

The stress put upon the anchored portion of the chain b the rotatable sprocketwheel of the mac ine occasionally causes the chain to become jammed in the sprockets of the wheel, so that the links of the chain which ought to travel ofi' from the sprocketwheel at the side opposite to that at which they approach it, are instead wound up on the sprocket-wheel; consequently there will be a amming of the chain and-an interruption to the continuity and smoothness of operation of the coal-cutting'machine.

' thus he prevented.

It is the object of the present invention to so, construct the machine that the chain aforesaid shall unfailingly be diverted from the sprocket-wheel at the proper place and that amming such as has occurred heretofore for the reasons above set forth shall In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically and in p an a coal-cutting machine fittedwith the improvements according to the resent invention; a to plate which ordinari y is at the rear end 0 the machine and covers the wheels hereinafter referred to, is omitted from this figure for the sake of clearness. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Iii 1 with the machine in a osition from which it would travel in a irection opposite to that in which it would travel in Fi 1, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectionaelevation and sectional plan respectively to a scale larger than that to which Figs. 1 and 2 are drawn,

comprised in the two preceding figures.

Like reference-letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

With reference first to Fig. 1, B is the body of the machine, which at one end is provided with the jib J, and at its other end with a central sprocket-wheel S rotatable in bearings in the said other end. This sprocket-wheel S is driven by an air-motor or electrically. At opposite sides of that end of the machine at which the said sprocket-wheel is situated are guiding pulleys G and G for the chain. There is in line with the sprocket-wheel S another guiding pulley G.

In Fig. l the chain C is anchored at A. by any suitable anchoring device and is led from' the anchor around one side of the guiding pulley G around the pulley G and thence around the front side of the sprocketwheel S; the sprocket-wheel is intended to rotate counter-clockwise in this view and the direction oftravel of the machine will be that indicated by the arrow a. The chain 0 comes on to the sprocket-wheel at the place 8 in the path of the sprockets and is required to leave the sprocket-wheel at the more than a semi-circle in the machine, '4'. e. from 8 counter-clockwise, around to s.

In the similar view, Fig. 2, the direction of travel of the machine as indicated by the arrow therein, is op osite to that in which it would progress in ig. 1; and correspondingly, the rotation of tie sprocket-wheel S is clockwise, the chain in Fig. 2 coming into the circular path of the sprockets at a and being required to leave it again at 8.

In Fig. 1 is shown a finger F (seen also in Figs. 2, 3 and 4) firmly attached to the machine, ,say In a screw K, and extended into the path 0 the chain C at the place 8 at which it is desired that the links of the chain should be diverted out of the sprocketwheel; this -finger forms in efiect a plow extended into the groove of the sprocketwheel, so that should the links of the chain tend to remain gripped in the wheel when they come around to the finger F,-the latter will plow or strip them out of thein which the screw K will be in the hole B and the finger F will divert the chain from the sprocket-Wheel at the plate 8*. 'llhus it will be seen that the finger F can be attached to the machine in each of a plurality of positions, so that the diverting of the links of the chain out of the sprocket-wheel by the finger shall occur at either 8 or s, as may be desired.

lhe screw K and hole B form a simple means of attaching the finger to the machine in the desired positions, but any other strong and simple means could be employed for the same purpose.

During much of the time of operation of the machine the finger F will have but little to do, for but little efi'ort is ordinarily required to free the chain from the sprocketwheel at the discharging-point of the latter; but should any link or links become jammed in the sprockets, the finger F is always prescut and operates to free them as they move in relation to the finger in the rotation of the sprocket-wheel.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a coal-cutting machine provided with a haulage-chain which latter is to be anchored by one end so that the machine can pull upon the anchored chain, the combination of a rotatable sprocket-wheel by which that pull is exerted, and a finger (such for example as F) firmly attached to the machine and. extended into the path of the chain at the place at which it is desired that the links of the chain should be diverted out of the sprocket-wheel.

2. In a coal-cutting machine provided with a haulage-chain which latter is to be anchored by one end so that the machine can pull upon the anchored chain, the combination of a rotatable sprocket-Wheel by which that pull is exerted, a finger (such for example as F) firmly attached to the machine and extended into the path of the chain at the place at which it is desired that the links of the chain should be diverted out of the sprocket-Wheel, and means for attaching the aforesaid finger to the machine in each of a plurality of positions alternatively, so that the diversion of the links of the chain out of the sprocket-Wheel by the finger shall occur at one or the other of two places (such as s s) in the path of the chain.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GILBERT RIMMER.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK PIA'r'r,

Gnomes WHITELAW. 

